Method and apparatus for erecting modular high-rise building

ABSTRACT

A method and apparatus for erecting a high-rise building comprising a plurality of stacked modules. A wheeled delivery platform transports each module from a truck or the like on rails which extend parallel to a wall of the building and at right angles to the ultimate direction of module insertion in the building. The module is supported on a plurality of wheeled dollies each supported on rails carried by the platform, and these rails extend across the platform at right angles to the direction of movement of the platform. The platform, when properly positioned, has its rails aligned with corresponding rails carried by supporting means in the building structure so that the module can be rolled on said dollies off the delivery platform and into its predetermined position in the building. Alternate vertical columns of modules are provided with jacking means to permit the raising of the entire building by the height of one module plus suitable clearance space to permit the insertion of additional modules which will then comprise the next-lower floor of the building. Auxiliary jacking means provides for the raising of each module once it has been placed in its desired position by the amount of the predetermined clearance space to permit it to be secured to the module above it in the stack, and wedges maintain each such module in the elevated position after the auxiliary jacks are removed, thereby eliminating the necessity of at any time lowering the building structure to take up the clearance space.

United States Patent [191 Filipek et al.

[54] METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ERECTING MODULAR HIGH-RISE BUILDING [75]Inventors: Stanley J. Filipek; Frank Csapo, both of Avon, N.Y.

[73] Assignee: Stirling Homex Corporation, Avon,

Livingston County, NY.

22 Filed: July 13, 1970 21 Appl. No.: 54,230

[52] US. Cl. ..52/126, 52/127, 52/745,

52/750 [51] Int. Cl ..E04g 21/14, B66f H00 [58] Field of Search ..52/79,234, 236,

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS U.S.S.R. ..52/749 Switzerland ..52/745Apr. 10,1973

Primary Examiner-John E. Murtagh Assistant Examiner-James L. Ridgill.Jr. Attorney-William D. Hall, Elliott l. Pollock. Fred C. Philpitt,George Vande Sande, Charles F. Steininger and Robert R. Priddy [57]ABSTRACT A method and apparatus for erecting a high-rise buildingcomprising a plurality of stacked modules. A wheeled delivery platformtransports each module from a truck or the like on rails which extendparallel to a wall of the building and at right angles to the ultimatedirection of module insertion in the building. The module is supportedon a plurality of wheeled dollies each supported on rails carried by theplatform, and these rails extend across the platform at right angles tothe direction of movement of the platform. The platform, when properlypositioned, has its rails aligned with corresponding rails carried bysupporting means in the building structure so that the module can berolled on said dollies off the delivery platform and into itspredetermined position in the building. Alternate vertical columns ofmodules are provided with jacking means to permit the raising of theentire building by the height of one module plus suitable clearancespace to permit the insertion of additional modules which will thencomprise the nextlower floor of the building. Auxiliary jacking meansprovides for the raising of each module once it has been placed in itsdesired position by the amount of the predetermined clearance space topermit it to be secured to the module above it in the stack, and wedgesmaintain each such module in the elevated position after the auxiliaryjacks are removed, thereby eliminating the necessity of at any timelowering the building structure to take up the clearance space.

3 Claims, 18'Drawing Figures PATENTEWW 3,726,053 7 SHEET 1 UF 8 FIG. IA.

. INVENTORS Stanley J. Fi lipek Frank Csopa BYHmI 4 UM L ATTORNEYPATENTEUAPRIUIW 3.726.053

I SHEET 2 UF 8 FIG. ID.

FIG. IE.

FIG. IF.

INVENTORS Stanley J. Fi/ipek Frank Csapo a, m+uM; F

I ATTORNEY PATENTEU R 1975 SHEET 3 UF 8 PATENTED APR 1 01975 FIG.

SHEET 5 or a INVENTORS Sfanley J. Filipek Frank Csupo ATTORNEY PATENTEUAPR 1 01973 sum 70F 8 FIG. I0.

INVENTORS Stanley J. Fi/ipek Frank Csapo FIG. 9.

ATTORNEY PATENTED 3,726,053

SHEET 8 BF 8 FIG. I3.

INVENTORS Stanley J." Filipek Frank Csapo ATTORNEY METHOD AND APPARATUSFOR ERECTING MODULAR HIGH-RISE BUILDING BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Inrecent years, a considerable amount of effort has been expended ondeveloping new methods of housing construction which take advantage ofthe mass produc' tion technology that has evolved in most otherindustries. As a consequence, it is now known that housing structuressuch as individual homes, sb-called townhouses, and other structures ofmodest height can more economically be built in factories according tothe modular concept, i.e., a concept whereby a portion of such structureis built as a unit or module at the factory, transported to the site,and then assembled together, with the modular units being placedalongside each other and/or above each other in a predeterminedconfiguration.

The available technology has, however, quite generally been limited tothe construction of buildings of relatively low height. Thus, thepractice generally has been first to place the modules for the groundlevel in place, and then to stack on top of these the modules for thesecond floor, and so on, until finally the top unit with its roof isplaced in position. However, it will be readily apparent that thismethod of construction severely limits the height of such a structurebecause of the considerable difficulty of lifting a module, weighing anumber of tons, from ground level to any appreciable height.

In order to make more efficient use of available land space, it hasbecome important to develop methods and apparatus which will permit theconstruction of highrise buildings of many floors, using factory-builtmodules. In our copending application Ser. No. 5281, filed Jan. 23,1970, we have disclosed a modular unit which is particularly adapted foruse in the construction of a high-rise building. In our copendingapplication Ser. No. 5296, also filed Jan. 23, 1970, and now US. Pat.No. 3,631,648, issued Jan. 4, 1972, we have disclosed a method for theerection of high-rise building structures formed of modular units.According to the latter application, the method of high-rise buildingconstruction disclosed there is quite generally the reverse of thatnormally employed in that the top floor is constructed first of aplurality of modules and then raised by an amount substantially equal tothe height of a module. The second-topmost floor is then constructed byinserting the modules which are to comprise such floor, and fasteningthem to the modules of the floor above, andithe two top floors are thenraised another level so as to permit insertion into the building of themodules which make up the third floor from the top. This procedure isrepeated until the building is completed.

The construction method of our copending application Ser. No. 5296referred to above employs modules which are formed in part of reinforcedconcrete and in part of structural steel members which are readilycapable of absorbing both the dead load and the live load ultimately tobe imposed upon the structure. The modules are placed upon a series ofsupporting structures which may be positioned below ground level. Someof the supporting structures are permanently fixed in place and form thesupports for the building when it is completed. To either side of suchpermanent supporting structures is positioned a second type ofsupporting structure which may be temporarily placed and removed whenthe building is completed and is provided, moreover, with a jackingmeans which is capable of raising a substantial load.

After the supporting structures are all in place, i.e., both thepermanent supports and the temporary supports having the jacking means,a row of modules is placed on the supports and secured to each other asby bolting. When this is done, the temporary supporting structures havetheir jacking means operated so as to raise the entire top story of thebuilding by substantially the height of a single story. When this isaccomplished, the spaces now appearing immediately above the permanentsupporting structures are filled by inserting a module in each suchposition, and when all of these open spaces have thus been filled withmodules, the jacking means associated with the temporary supportingstructures are all lowered, thereby providing additional spaces in whichfurther modules can be placed. There is then provided a second row ofmodules which will eventually comprise the second-topmost story of thebuilding. The modules of this row are now all secured together bysuitable bolts passing through the structural supporting members.Following this step, the jacking means is again raised to thereby raisethe two top stories of the building by substantially the height of asingle module, and it will be readily apparent that this again providesempty spaces, one above each of the permanent supporting means intowhich the additional modules can now be inserted. The above-describedprocedure is carried out repeatedly until the desired building height isachieved.

In our copending application Ser. No. 32,060, filed Apr. 27, 1970, andnow US. Pat. No. 3,632,088, issued Jan. 4, 1972, for Means for RaisingBuilding ofModular Construction, we have shown apparatus which isparticularly adapted for erecting a modular high-rise building accordingto the method of the aforementioned application Ser. No. 5296 andembodying modules of the type disclosed in the aforementionedapplication Ser. No. 5281. This application Ser. No. 32,060 particularlyis directed to the jacking apparatus used for raising the modules by theheight of at least a single story of the building, and we have alsodisclosed in such application apparatus for transporting modules, from avehicle such as a truck which delivers them to the building site, to thepredetermined position for each such module in the building structure.The apparatus disclosed therein provides a plurality of rails over whicheach module may be: rolled and with the rails being so positioned andoriented relative to the building structure that each module is movablein a straight-line path from the transport vehicle and directly intoposition in the building structure, atop either one of the permanentsupporting structures or one of the jacking means.

The apparatus of the present invention comprises an improvement in themodule delivery system over what is disclosed in the aforesaid copendingapplication Ser. No. 32,060. Thus, with respect to the apparatus of theearlier application, it was necessary to provide either a set of railsfor each module included in a single story in the building so thatmodules could be delivered from a transport vehicle to any desiredposition on the ground story or floor of the building, or it wasnecessary to provide a single pair of rails and then move such railsfrom one position to another for each subsequent module to be positionedwithin the building. By means of the improved apparatus of the presentinvention, a pair of rails is provided exteriorly of the building atright angles to the direction of final movement of each module as it isinserted into the building structure, and the rails support a wheeleddelivery platform which can be rolled back and forth along the rails toany desired module position. The delivery platform, in turn, supports aplurality of rails which run at right angles to the first-mentionedrails, and each pair of additional rails supports a wheeled dolly uponwhich the module itself may be placed. Consequently, when the deliveryplatform is moved to the desired module position, the module thensupported upon the latter-mentioned dollies may be rolled off thedelivery platform and into place within the building structure.

Of course, in order that a module can be inserted into place when one ormore floors of the building have already been erected, it is necessarythat the nexthigher floor have been raised sufficiently above thesupporting structure upon which the module is to be placed to provideadequate clearance for insertion of the module and also the wheeleddollies upon which it rides. A clearance space of about one and one halfinches is ordinarily adequate.

Once any module has been inserted into position above its respectivesupporting structure it is, of course, possible to interconnect suchmodule with those positioned thereabove in the next-higher floor bymerely lowering the jacking means so that the entire building is thenlowered by the amount of the predetermined clearance space so as to restupon the newly inserted modules, whereupon all these can then be securedto the modules above. This, however, is not a desired or preferred modeof operation since it neces' sarily involves a lowering of the entirebuilding structure for each additional floor that is added, and this isnot desired because it increases the likelihood that difficulty will beencountered in keeping the building structure entirely level. For thisreason, the wheeled dollies on which the module is supported and uponwhich it rolls into the building structure, are each provided with anauxiliary jacking means which permits raising the module relative to thedollies by the amount of the clearance space so that the module can thenbe coupled to the modules above. Once this has been accomplished, thewheeled dollies can be removed from the confines of the buildingstructure and used for the emplacement of a further module.

Of course, in the use of the method of building erection described inthe aforementioned application Ser. No. 5296, it is contemplated thatthe final module insertion step to complete the row of modules in afloor of the building will occur only after all of the jacking meanswhich are spaced throughout the building have been lowered, with thebuilding then resting upon the spaced modules which have already beeninserted atop the fixed supporting structures. Here again, it is desiredthat the building not be lowered from the position to which it hasalready been raised, and for this reason the improved method of thepresent invention contemplates that suitable shims or wedges will beprovided underneath each of the already positioned modules of the bottomrow so as to support each of these above its respective fixed supportingstructures by the necessary amount of clearance as required to permitinsertion of the remaining modules above the respective jacking means.When these remaining modules are all inserted in place, then they tooare raised by the auxiliary jacking means associated with theirrespective wheeled dollies so that each of these can in a similar mannerbe secured to the module directly above, thereby completing aninterconnected row of modules constituting a further floor of thebuilding. Thereafter, the entire building is once again raised by theheight of one floor of the building so that the process can again berepeated. As mentioned above, it is a characteristic therefore of theuse of the apparatus of this invention that it permits an improvement inthe method of building construction in that at no time is the portion ofthe building which has already been raised required to be lowered andyet adequate tolerance is provided between the then-existing secondfloor of the building and the permanent supporting structures and alsoeach jacking means to permit the easy insertion of modules with thedesired clearance space as required.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide apparatus whichmakes possible the rapid erection of a modular, high-rise building byfacilitating the positioning and placement of modules in the buildingstructure.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus andmethod for the erection of a modular highrise building which permits theraising of the building, a floor at a time, without requiring that theportions raised at any time be lowered.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In describing this invention,reference will be made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGS. lA-lF diagrammatically illustrate the method of building erectionof this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing of a module such as is used in theconstruction of a high-rise building according to the present inventionand also the means for transporting such module to facilitate its easyinsertion into the building structure;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the apparatus of the present invention forplacing and supporting and jacking the high-rise modules of thisinvention;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the high-rise building of this invention duringconstruction, showing particularly the arrangement of the jacking meansand fixed supporting structures and the end towers which support the endmodules;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 4 illustrating the mannerin which the module conveying apparatus situated exteriorly of thebuilding cooperates with the supporting means or jacking meanspositioned within the building structure;

FIG. 6 is an end view of a module and the delivery platform which ridesupon the track rails;

FIG. 7 is a detailed end view of the supporting structure of the typeshown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a view taken along the section line 88 of FIG. 7; t

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the module delivery platform of this invention;I

FIG. is an end view of the delivery platform of FIG. 9 taken along thesection line 10--10;

FIG. 11 is a side view of a portion of a wheeled dolly which providesfor the supporting and rolling of the module into position in thebuilding structure;

FIG. 12 is a detailed view taken along the section line 12-l2 ofFIG. 11;and

FIG. 13 illustrates the manner in which the various temporary supportingstructures and associated jacking means may be removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIGS. lA-lF illustratethe manner in which a multistory building may be erected quickly andinexpensively, according to the invention, using modules of the typeshown, for example, in perspective view in FIG. 2. The module is formed,in part, of an outer framework which comprises a plurality of structuralmembers, preferably of steel to provide the desired strength.Preferably, I-beams and channel beams of adequate dimension to supportthe predetermined load are provided for this outer framework.

The framework for the module comprises along the short ends 5 of themodule 9, two vertically disposed I- beams 6 and 7 whose height is atleast equal to the overall height of the module. Although the oppositeend of the module is not shown in FIG. 2, it is to be understood thatthe module is symmetrically constructed and that therefore twoadditional I-beams 6, 7 corresponding to the beams 6 and 7 are providedexteriorly of the module at the remote end as well. Secured to thebottom ends of the two I-beams 6 and 7 is a channel-shaped structuralmember 8 which is preferably secured to the I-beams 6 and 7 by bolts(not shown). A similar channel member 17 is secured to the columnarI-beams 6', 7' at the remote end of the module. Interconnecting theI-beams 6 and 7 and channel beam 8 with the corresponding parts at theremote end of the module are a pair of I-beams 15' (of which only one isshown in FIG. 2) which extend along the bottom of the module, and eachsuch I-beam is secured to the respective columnar I-beams 6 or 7 and tochannel beam 8 by angle plates (not shown) and bolts (not shown).

Secured to the top surfaces of the channel beams 8 and 17 and to thetransversely extending I-beams 15' is a floor 25 which is preferablyformed of steel-reinforced concrete. When one module is stacked atop theother, the vertical columnar I-beams 6 and 7 of the stacked modules arevertically aligned with each other. Since each columnar I-beam 6 or 7has a length at least equal to the overall height of the module, and ispreferably equal in length to the height of the module, the beams 6 and7 of the respectively stacked modules abut each other so that the weightof each unit or module is supported by the aligned I-beams 6 and 7 ofthe stacked modules through the successive modules. The ceiling of eachmodule may comprise sheetrock material or the like 18 and need not bedesigned to support any portion of the load of the module stacked abovesince all of the floor load of the higher module is borne by thetransversely extending I-beams 15 and carried thereby to the I-beams 6and 7 at each end of the module.

Referring to FIGS lA-lF, in FIG. 1A, the foundation for the building isshown at 15, and it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that suchfoundation may be below grade level although of course it is entirelypossible to construct the building with a foundation 15 at grade level.In any event, a first step in the method of erecting a building is toplace on the foundation a plurality of structural supporting units 10each having associated therewith a module jacking means 12. These units10, 12 are spaced so as to underlie alternate ones of the modules to becoupled together to form the top floor of the building; in someinstances such units 10, 12 will be used in connection with adjoiningmodules rather than alternately spaced modules as will be discussedhereinafter. The supporting structures 10, which are shown onlydiagrammatically in FIGS. lA-lF, are formed of structural steel memberswhich, it will be understood are suitably cross-braced and supported sothat they will each be capable of supporting a number of modules equalto twice the number of floors to be included in the completed buildingor structure.

Each supporting structure 10 is provided with a jacking meansdiagrammatically illustrated as 12 in FIG. 1B and having the capabilityof selectively raising a load vertically by an amount at least equal tothe overall height of the module. The detailed structural arrangementsof such a jacking means are illustrated in our aforesaid applicationSer. No. 32,060. Although only two vertical lifting columns are shown inFIG. 1B for each of the jacking means 12, it should be understood thatthe means 10, 12 is preferably constructed in the form of a rectangularparallelpiped having vertical supporting members at each corner and alsoa jacking means at each corner.

Generally, there is provided a permanent supporting structure 11 betweeneach pair of the temporary supporting structures 10, each including ajacking means 12. Each said supporting structure 11 is rigidly securedto the foundation to form a permanent part of the building whencompleted. Each supporting structure 11 is also suitably cross-bracedand of sufficient strength to be able to support a dead loadcorrespond-' ing to the weight of a number of modules equal to twice thenumber of stories in the completed building, and also whatever live loadmay be placed on the floor of the module, wind loading, etc.

When all of the supporting structures 10 and 11 are in place as shown inFIG. 1A, the next step is to position on top of each of the supportingstructures a series of modules 13 and 14. Although these modules may allbe substantially identical in exterior configuration and structuraldetails, although possibly differing in interior partition arrangement,plumbing, wiring, etc., they have been designated in FIGS. lA-lF bydifferent reference characters 13 and 14 dependent only upon whether themodule is supported upon a jacking-sup porting structure 10, 12 or upona fixed supporting structure 11.

Once the various modules 13, 1.4 are in place on the jacking-supportingstructures 10, 12 and fixed supporting structures 11 as in FIG. 1A, themodules are all coupled together by suitable bolts (not shown) passingthrough adjoining structural supporting members. When this has beencompleted, each jacking means 12 is raised, and the operation of. thevarious jacking means 12 is suitabl synchronized, as is moreparticularly shown in the aIoresaid copending application Ser. No.32,060, to ensure that the row of modules is raised uniformly and in alevel fashion by an amount substantially equal to the overall height ofa single module, with the result that the structure under assembly thenhas the general appearance shown in FIG. 1B.

In raising the row of modules which is to comprise the topmost floorfrom the position shown in FIG. 1A to that shown in FIG. 18, it isdesired to raise the row by a height which is slightly in excess of theoverall height of any module. This is necessary in order to provideadequate clearance for the insertion of additional modules in the blankspaces which extend above each of the permanent supporting structures11. The insertion of such additional alternately spaced modules is shownin FIG. 1C, and it will be readily apparent that in order for suchmodules to be put in place, the spaces provided therefor by the raisingoperation shown by FIGS. 1A and 1B must provide adequate clearance whichmay, for example, be in the order of one and one-half inches orthereabout.

As each module is inserted in a respective one of the alternate spacesshown in FIG. 1C, the module is raised by an auxiliary jacking meansassociated with the wheeled dollies upon which the module is rolled intoposition in the building, and the distance that each module is raisedcorresponds to the above-mentioned clearance space. When this is done,each raised module may then be secured to the module directly above.Thereafter, a wedge is placed under each corner of a module 14 tomaintain it and the modules stacked above it elevated above therespective supporting structure 10 by the amount of the previouslymentioned clearance. The various jacking means 12 then are all lowered(FIG. 1D), the topmost row of interconnected modules 13, 14 now beingall supported on thesupporting structures 11 through the interveningmodules 14. The two overhanging modules 13 at each end of the buildingare at this time temporarily supported by towers 59, each of which isprovided with a movable projecting support member 59 which acts tosupport the endmost modules.

It will be apparent that the arrangement now existing, and asdiagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 1D, provides additional gaps whichpermit the insertion of modules 13 to fill these gaps so that finally arow of adjoining modules 13, 14, is provided which comprises all of themodules required for the second-from-the-top floor of the building whichwill then have the general appearance shown in FIG. 1E. Adequateclearance space is now available for the easy insertion of thesealternately spaced modules 13; thus, each module 14 in the bottommostrow is now raised above its respective supporting structure 11 by itsassociated wedges (not shown in FIGS. lA-lF), and therefore each module13 of the top floor is necessarily also spaced above a supportingstructure 11 by a distance equal to the height of a module plus thepredetermined clearance space.

The next step is to operatively couple together all of the modules ofthis second-from-the-top story of the building so that raising of theplurality of jacking means 12 associated with the temporary supportingstructures 10 will permit raising of the two top stories as an integralunit, thereby again providing voids alternately spaced and respectivelypositioned above the permanent supporting structures 11 into whichadditional modules may be inserted for the third-from-the-top story ofthe building. The above-described procedure is repeated as many times asis required until the building is of the desired height. When this isaccomplished, the temporary supporting structures 10 and theirassociated jacking means may all be removed from the building to permittheir re-use in the erection of another building.

Once all the floors of the building, except the first, have been raisedto their elevated positions, the building reaches a condition as shownin FIG. 13 where all of the floors of the building above the first orground floor have been raised to their intended final height, and thebuilding is now resting upon the alternately spaced modules 14, eachsupported upon a fixed supporting structure 1 1. It is now desired thatthe various temporary supporting means with associated jacking means 10be removed from the building so that these devices can subsequently beused in the erection of another building. This may be accomplished byloosening the fastening means such as bolts (not shown) which anchor thebase of each temporary supporting means 10 to the foundation of thebuilding. The head of each jack is secured to the underside of themodule supported thereon. Thereafter, the jacks are retracted, raisingthe lifting device to the underside of the module 13. When this is done,each movable truss then retains its position adjacent to an elevatedmodule 13,

The jacking means together with the associated temporary supportingmeans is, of course, a very large and cumbersome structure and also veryheavy, and it is therefore desirable to provide a means for removingthis device to a position outside the confines of the building so thatit may be loaded upon a truck or the like and moved away from thebuilding site. This function may readily be accomplished by positioningon the rails 56 and positioned on the respectively opposite sides of thetemporary supporting means 10 in FIG. 13, one of the wheeled dolliessuch as is shown in FIG. 1 1. Two or more spaced transverse steel beamsmay then be placed across such pair of dollies lying to either side ofthe temporary supporting structure to be removed and then temporarilysecured to the upstanding structural elements of the temporarysupporting means by, for example, bolts 91, so that such temporarysupporting means and its associated jacking means may then be rolled outalong the dollies 80 and along the rails 56 and 70 to a positionexteriorly of the buildmg.

It can be seen that the overall height of one of the temporarysupporting means 10 and associated jacking means is higher than theoverall height of any one module, and this is of course required if anyone of these jacking means is to be capable of lifting a substantialload by a distance which is in excess of the overall height of any onemodule. As a result, when any jacking means is retracted so as to beraised off the floor of the building, it is evident that the bottomportion of such jacking means and temporary supporting means will extendbelow the bottom surface of any module 14 positioned on the ground floorof the building and will, in fact, even extend below the level of therails 56 and 70 upon which the supporting means and jacking means 10 isto be conveyed outside of the building structure. This is, of course, ofno particular consequence since the transverse members 90 lying acrossthe dollies 80 can readilY pass through the supporting and jacking means10 and still be bolted or otherwise secured to its upright members topermit such apparatus to be removed outside of the building. It isrequired, of course, that the height of the exterior wall of thebuilding be sufficiently low to provide adequate clearance for theremoval of such jacking and supporting means. Thus, as a practicalmatter, it is required that the distance D3 which represents thedistance from the bottom of the modules for the second floor of thebuilding above the floor surface of the building foundation be slightlygreater in height than the overall height of any jacking and supportingmeans when retracted (represented by D4), plus the height of theperipheral building wall (D). If this condition is met, it will beapparent that a retracted jacking means together with its associatedtemporary supporting means can be rolled outside of the building and yethave its bottommost portion clear the top of the building wall as shownin FIG. 13.

FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate a portion of the module delivery system of theinvention. Referring first to FIG. 3, a portion of the buildingfoundation is shown at 30, and it can be seen that the depth of thebuilding, i.e., from left to right, corresponds to the length of twomodules and moreover that the portion of the buildings width which isshown corresponds to the width of four modules. Of course, it will beunderstood that the building can be of greater depth than that shown orit can be only one module deep and that the width of the building can beof any desired amount, but it is believed adequate for the purpose ofillustrating the principles of the present invention to show anarrangement of the type illustrated in FIG. 3.

It will be assumed, in FIG. 3, that the left-hand edge of the buildingis the front of the building, and the backwardly recessed position ofthe portion of the building indicated by the set-back of the foundationat 30' represents a set-back such as is often found, for example, inhigh-rise apartment buildings where the central core of the buildinghousing the lobby, elevators, etc., may be set back from the rest of thebuilding by a predetermined amount. Of course, it will be understoodthat it is by no means necessary that the building be provided with sucha setback and such feature is illustrated here only to make it clearthat the principles of the invention are equally applicable whetherthere is a set-back or not.

FIG. 3 shows that a plurality of temporary supporting structures 10 andalso permanent supporting structures 11 is positioned within thebuilding foundation and shows additionally the preferred arrangement ofsuch structures. Thus, the endmost modules which are to form theright-hand end of the building are adapted to be supported upon atemporary supporting structure 10 for the front module and 10 for therear module. Adjacent to these are positioned two permanent sup portingstructures 11, and 11 and these are adapted to support a similar pair ofmodules. Preferably, the centrally located modules, i.e., those locatedin the area of the set-back, are both supported on a temporarysupporting structure, each having an associated jacking means, and theseare respectively indicated as 10 10 10 and 10 Beyond the central coreportion, the next row of modules (not shown) are supported by permanentsupporting structures (not shown) and the next row after that bytemporary supporting means and so on, for the successive rows of modulesin the building. The modules in the endmost row are again preferablysupported by temporary supporting means 10 and respective jacking means12.

It is understood that each combined temporary supporting means 10 andjacking means 12 comprises on each side thereof, a pair of fixed trusses31 and a movable truss 32 which is vertically slidable between the fixedtrusses, as more particularly disclosed in our aforesaid copending U.S.Pat. application Ser. No. 32,060, and a plurality of jacking cylindermeans, preferably hydraulic, is provided to enable each movable truss tobe raised relative to the associated fixed trusses.

Extending parallel to the front of the building, i.e., vertically alongthe left-hand edge of FIG. 3, are four track rails 33 mounted uponsupports 34, and providing a trackway for rolling support of a wheeleddelivery platform 35. The wheels of the platform are shown at 36, andFIG. 3 also shows that the platform 35 supports on its upper surface aplurality of rails 37 -37 The platform further comprises variousstructural support members such as those indicated at 38 and 39, anddiagonal bracing members 40, as shown in greater detail in FIGS. 9 and10.

To place a module in the desired position within the building, themodule is moved, as by a crane, from a truck or other transport vehicleand is placed in position on the delivery platform 35. The platform 35may then be moved along the track rails 33 to its desired position. Suchmovement may be effected, for example, by a power-driven winch 41 whichwinds a steel cable or the like 42 over a drum 41' on winch 41. One endof cable 42 is attached to the platform 35 at 42a and the other end isattached thereto at 42b. The cable passes over a pulley (not shown), andafter passing over the pulley, the cable 42 is returned to the drum ofthe winch and wound thereabout in the opposite direction to thefirst-mentioned position. As a result, rotation of the winch 41 in onedirection of rotation causes the platform 35 to roll in one directionalong rails 33, whereas rotation of winch 41 in the opposite directionwill similarly move the platform 35 in the opposite direction alongrails 33.

FIG. 4 illustrates an end elevational view of the building arrangementshown in plan view in FIG. 3. Thus, the three temporary supportingstructures of FIG. 3, i.e., 10,, 10 and 10 each having an associatedjacking means, are all shown and also the intervening permanentsupporting structure 11, and an additional such unit 11 which does notappear in FIG. 3. Each permanent supporting structure such as thestructure 11 comprises vertical supporting members 45 which areinterconnected by lateral bracing members 46 and diagonal bracingmembers 47. As shown in greater detail in FIG. 7, laterally extendingI-beam sections 48 are each respectively secured to one of theupstanding structural support members 45 and each is, in turn, supportedby a bracing member 49 which may be welded or bolted at one end tomember 48 and at the other end to the vertical support member 45.Secured to the top surface of each of the laterally extending supportmembers 48 are a pair of rails 50 along which the module-supportingdolly can ride as hereinafter described.

It will be noted that the upper level of these rails 50 is substantiallybelow the surface of the topmost modulesupporting members comprising thelongitudinally extending I-beams 51 and the transverse beam 52, and thereason for this is to provide space below the level of the module forthe two individual module-supporting dollies riding upon rails 50 tothereby permit these to be removed once the module has been inserted inplace and lifted off the dollies.

FIG. shows in side elevational view one of the temporary supportingstructure and its associated jacking means 12. As more particularlydisclosed in the aforementioned pending application Ser. No. 32,060,such supporting and jacking means comprises fixed trusses 53 whichprovide for a sliding support for movable trusses 54, the latter beingcapable of being raised by hydraulic jacking means under the control ofa hydraulic fluid system.

FIG. 5 also shows the laterally extending supporting members 55 whichsupport longitudinally extending members 55', each of the lattersupporting, in turn, a rail 56. Referring to FIG. 4, the means 55 maycomprise a transversely extending I-beam member which is welded orotherwise secured to an adjacent supporting and jacking means 10 andprovides a support thereon for a pair of rails 56. Such a means is usedbetween a pair of adjacent supporting and jacking means such as themeans 10 and 10 shown in FIG. 4 and may be bolted to the fixed trussesof the supporting means. In the intervening space between a temporarysupporting means and a permanent supporting means such as, for example,the space between the supporting means 10 and the supporting means 11the rails therebetween are secured to the transversely extending members48 forming a part of supporting means 11 as shown in FIG. 7 and alreadydescribed.

In connection with the supporting and jacking 10 at the right-hand endof the building, it will be noted that a transversely extending member57 is secured to such means 10 and provides support thereon for a pairof rails 58. In connection with this end unit, it will be noted that aplurality of supporting towers 59 (these are shown in FIG. 3) isprovided and the function of these towers, as previously described, isto provide support for the overhanging modules 60 at the end of thebuilding during such times that the associated jacking means 12 islowered, thereby providing no lifting support directly underneath theseend modules 60. The required support is provided by an extendablesupport arm 59 which is normally retracted within tower 59 but can beextended during the time that the overhanging modules 60 requireadditional support.

Because of the necessary proximity of the towers 59 to the endsupporting means 10,, 10 it is desired that the rails 58 associatedtherewith be positioned more closely to the supporting means 10 than isthe case, for example, with the supporting means 10 This relationshipcan be noted by observing that the rails 58 are closer to the centerline of the supporting and jacking means 10 in FIG. 4 than are, forexample, the rails 56 relative to the center lines of either thesupporting and jacking means 10 or 10 As shown in FIG. 5, the transverserails 37 on the delivery platform 35 are vertically aligned so as to beat the height of the rails 56 supported on either crossmember 55,cross-member 48, or cross-member 57, as the case may be (see FIG. 4).FIG. 5 further shows that the rails 33 are supported on a framework ofstructural support members 65 and that the support member for each pairof rails is positioned and mounted upon a pylon 66 which may be formedof concrete and supported on or embedded in the ground. FIG. 5 furthershows that the winch 41 may, if desired, be mounted on the deliveryplatform 35.

It will be noted, from FIG. 9, and also FIG. 10, that the deliveryplatform 35 is provided with a single pair of rails 37 and 37 on oneside thereof and four such rails 37 37 on the other side. The reason forhaving two more rails on one side than on the other is to accommodatesuch delivery platform to the transfer of a module onto a supportingstructure of either standard spacing or less-than-standard spacing ofthe associated rails. Thus, it will be recalled, in connection withFIGS. 3 and 4, that the pair of rails 56 shown in FIG. 4, for example,are spaced a predetermined amount from the center line of the supportingmeans 10;, and the same distance from the center line of the supportingmeans 10 Similarly, the pair of rails 50 provided for the supportingmeans 11, is spaced from its center by the same predetermined amount.However, the pair of rails 58 associated with the endmost supportingmeans 10 is more closely spaced to the center of such supporting means10 and the reason for this is to move such rails inwardly to provideclearance for the tower 59 which, it will be remembered, must bepositioned quite closely in toward the supporting means 10 in order thatsuitable support can be provided for the overhanging module 60.

Referring now to FIG. 3, when the delivery platform 35 is appropriatelylined up for the insertion of a module into the prescribed space on thesupporting means 10 or 10 the two rails 37, and 37 are line up,respectively, with the rails 71 and 72 on the right-hand side of thesupporting means 10 When this is done, the two additional rails 37, and37 on the platform 35 line up with the two rails 73 at the left-handside of the supporting means 10 In other words, the spacing D1 shown atthe right-hand side of FIG. 9 corresponds to the spacing betweenrespective pairs of rails for any of the module positions other thanthose on the right and left-hand ends of the building.

To accommodate to the lesser rail spacing D2 which prevails at each endof the building, one positions the platform again so that the rails 37and 37 are longitudinally aligned with the pair of right-hand rails 74,75 on the supporting means 10, and under those circumstances theappropriate spacing is provided for the remaining rails on the platform35 so that the rails 37;, and 37,, are then longitudinally aligned withthe lefthand pair of rails 76, 77 positioned intermediate supportingmeans 10 and l 1,.

FIG. 11 illustrates the manner in which each wheeled dolly 80 supportsand raises the associated module. Thus, the dolly comprises alongitudinally extending beam 81 which may be of I-beam type andsupporting an axle thereon at 82 and a wheel 83 in such manner that thebottom of the wheel extends only very slightly below the bottom surfaceof beam 81 so that the minimum amount of clearance is required for eachwheeled dolly underneath a module. At the end of each beam 81 is abracket 84 upon which rests a hydraulic jack 85. Such jack may be of thetype which is capable of hand operation, and the piston of the jack isarranged to bear against the web of channel beam 8 which, as previouslydescribed in connection with FIG. 2, constitutes one of the endstructural support members for the module.

When the module is moved into position on an appropriate supportingmeans, with the wheels 83 rolling, for example, from the rails 37 ofdelivery platform 35 onto, for example, the rails 56 shown in FIG. 4, itwill be readily apparent that such module can enter into the spaceprovided therefor only if such space provides adequate clearance for themovement of the module, and it has been found that an appropriateclearance space is in the order of one to one and one-half inches. Oncethe module has been placed in position, it is then necessary that beconnected to the modules in the next floor of the building above. Ofcourse, this could be accomplished by lowering the entire building bythe amount of the predetermined clearance so that the lowermost modulecan then be suitably secured, as by bolting, to the module positionedthereabove. However, as previously mentioned, it is desired to avoidhaving to lower the building at any time and therefore it is provided bythis invention that such building lowering step shall be entirelyavoided and this can be accomplished by raising each newly insertedmodule by extending the jacks 85 so as to raise the module from thedolly 80.

Once the module has been raised by the amount of the predeterminedclearance space so that it then abuts the next higher module above inthe stack, the two do]- lies 80 can then be rolled out from under suchmodule and be available for use in the placement of another module. Byproviding that the rails upon which such dollies ride are positionedbelow the lowest extremity of the module-supporting surfaces by anamount at least equal to the overall height of such dolly, it is assuredthat any such dolly can readily be removed from below the associatedmodule once the module has been lifted therefrom by the jacks 80 andsubsequently connected to the module thereabove so that the weight ofsuch module is then removed from the dolly. Thus, all that then needs tobe done is to lower the various jacks 85 to remove all force exerted bythe module on the carriage and permit its easy withdrawal.

Eventually, as shown in FIG. 1D, when all of the alternately spacedmodules 14 of the then existing ground floor of the building are inplace, and each secured to the module thereabove and with the variousdollies all removed, it then becomes possible to proceed to the nextstep which is the lowering of the various jacks 12 to reach theconditions of FIG. 1D. It must be remembered, however, that each of themodules 14 interspersed between the raised jacks 12 of FIG. 1C is atthis time suspended from the module directly thereabove andconsequently, if the jacks 12 were all now lowered, this would result inthe lowering of the entire building which has already been raised.

The amount by. which the building would then be lowered would equal theclearance space now existing at the bottom of each such interspersedmodule 14. To prevent this, a wedge is placed under each module toprevent the lowering of any of the interspersed modules 14 and also toprevent lowering of any story of the building thereabove. This is shownin FIG. 8 where the columnar I-beam 7 of the module is supported by awedge which is driven between the bottom of I- beam 7 and the top ofvertical member 91 constituting a portion of the module supportingmeans. By placing a plurality of such wedges, one for each corner ofeach module, the lowering of the building is prevented while, at thesame time, providing the required and predetermined clearance space sothat, upon the lowering of the various jacks 12, adequate space isprovided above such lowered jacks and the module suspended thereabove topermit the insertion of additional alternately-spaced modules to finallyarrive at the condition disclosed in FIG. IE.

What we claim is:

1. Apparatus for the erection of a building formed of modular units atleast two of which are horizontally interconnected to form a rowcomprising a single floor of the building and having at least two suchrows stacked one above the other and vertically interconnected, theimprovement which comprises:

a. a plurality of supporting structures positioned below the level ofthe first intended floor of the building and each adapted to support theweight of a plurality of modules,

. at least some of said supporting structures including a module jackingmeans for raising the modules on the respective supporting structures byat least the height of a single module,

c. each supporting structure having associated therewith a plurality oflaterally spaced rails extending from the building edge inwardly in thedirection of intended module insertion into said building,

d. track rails extending alongside said building in a directiongenerally transverse to the direction of said laterally spaced rails,

e. a delivery platform having supporting wheels for rolling along saidtrack rails and also supporting a second set of rails extending parallelto said laterally spaced rails,

f. at least one wheeled dolly adapted to roll on said delivery platformwhile supported on said second set of rails and supporting a modulethereon, whereby each module may be rolled while on said dolly to apredetermined position aligned with its intended position in thebuilding and then rolled on said dolly off said platform and onto arespec tive one of said supporting structures,

. and auxiliary jacking means for raising each module relative to saidwheeled dolly to permit removal of said dolly from underneath the modulesupported thereon and the attachment of the raised module to any modulethereabove.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which two said rails extend alongsideeach said supporting structure and each module is supported by two saiddollies each independent of the other and each having two pairs oflaterally spaced wheels adapted to roll along said rails.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which each said rail has its uppersurface lying below the module-supporting surfaces of the associatedsupporting structure by at least the overall height of said dolly.

1. Apparatus for the erection of a building formed of modular units atleast two of which are horizontally interconnected to form a rowcomprising a single floor of the building and hAving at least two suchrows stacked one above the other and vertically interconnected, theimprovement which comprises: a. a plurality of supporting structurespositioned below the level of the first intended floor of the buildingand each adapted to support the weight of a plurality of modules, b. atleast some of said supporting structures including a module jackingmeans for raising the modules on the respective supporting structures byat least the height of a single module, c. each supporting structurehaving associated therewith a plurality of laterally spaced railsextending from the building edge inwardly in the direction of intendedmodule insertion into said building, d. track rails extending alongsidesaid building in a direction generally transverse to the direction ofsaid laterally spaced rails, e. a delivery platform having supportingwheels for rolling along said track rails and also supporting a secondset of rails extending parallel to said laterally spaced rails, f. atleast one wheeled dolly adapted to roll on said delivery platform whilesupported on said second set of rails and supporting a module thereon,whereby each module may be rolled while on said dolly to a predeterminedposition aligned with its intended position in the building and thenrolled on said dolly off said platform and onto a respective one of saidsupporting structures, g. and auxiliary jacking means for raising eachmodule relative to said wheeled dolly to permit removal of said dollyfrom underneath the module supported thereon and the attachment of theraised module to any module thereabove.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 inwhich two said rails extend alongside each said supporting structure andeach module is supported by two said dollies each independent of theother and each having two pairs of laterally spaced wheels adapted toroll along said rails.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which each saidrail has its upper surface lying below the module-supporting surfaces ofthe associated supporting structure by at least the overall height ofsaid dolly.